Line holder



Jill? 14, 1953 H. R. RosANT 2,644,993

LINE HOLDER med nay 4, 195o INVEN TOR. h'unsfnr l?. Roa/nvr H T TOR/VEY Patented July 14, 12953 PAT-str1' OFFICE LNEHOLDER Humbert R; Rogant,"Willoughl)y, .0h10 .Application Marl, 1950, Serial No. 159,972

My invention relates to line holders, more parers require that the line be threaded through an opening for proper assembly and this vis an annoying, time-consuming task. Other line holders are exensive to manufacture, and unreliable in operation and thus have not found commercial favor.

My invention provides a line holder that lends itself well to mass production methods andis of design which enables it to be produced economically. Further, ,the line holder of my invention provides for connection With a line merelyby placing the line in an open channel forming part of the holder, and drawing on'the line. Thus, a holder may be disposed'at each line post, and a line 'of considerable length may be supported from subsequent posts without undue expenditure of time or energy. Also, the line may be easily removed, and the holders either left in position connected to respective posts, or` they may be easily removed therefrom. f

In the drawing accompanying this specification and forming a part of this application, there is shown, for purposes of illustration, an embodiment which my invention may assume, and in this drawing:

Figure l is a perspective view illustrating an embodiment of my invention in use,

Figuresfz and 3 are side and end views of the embodiment shown in Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view kcorresponding generally to the line 4-4 of Figure 3,

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view corresponding generally to the line 5-5 of Figure 2, and

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional view corresponding generally to the line 6-6 of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawing, the embodiment of the invention herein disclosed comprises a body of substantially flat depending plate member I0 which is preferably formed of thin, sheet material and thus lends itself well to sheet-metal stamping operations. The body is adapted to be swingably mounted from a support and, as herein shown, is formed at one end with an aperture II for passing a link I2. The link may be looped over a hook I3, or the like, which may be secured to a support, such as a clothes-line supportingpost (not shown).

The opposite end of the body I0 is formed to provide a laterally extendingr tab I4,`the purpose `1 claim. `(ol. 2li-134) 2 f ofpfwhich will later be apparent. As best seen in Figures 1 and 3, the body I0 is generally flat, except'for the tab I4, and has abutment means on theportion intermediate its ends. In the embodiment herein disclosed, the abutment means is provided by a rounded head I5 having areduced rivet portion I6 which passes through an opening lin the body ID and is secured to the body in any Asuitable manner, such as by peening or expanding itsextremity.

thin sheet material, and thus lends itself well to sheet-metal stamping operations..v As herein shown, `the arm means comprises a generally flat portion I9 which is pivoted'at-wise to the intermediate portion of the body, as by means of a pivot 2|).` f

The arm means 4Il further comprises a lip ZI extending laterally from the hat portion I9 and providing an open channel for receiving the line L. As best seen in Figures 4 and 6, the channel is curved both transversely and longitudinally to provide an arcuate line receiving groove,` and the longitudinal curvature is in excess of ninetyvdegrecs so that a smooth surface is at all times presented to the line, thus eliminating danger of fraying or cutting of the line.

In operation, a user may positionthe line with the holder merely by placing it within the open channel and moving the arm means I'I and body VIII sufliciently to pass the line adjacent to the rounded head I5. Assuming thatthe extremity of line portion IB is secured to a support, sufficient pulling force on line portion 22 will cause line portion I8 to become taut. When pulling force on line portion 22 is released, resultant pulling force on line portion I8, caused by tautness,

or the weight of clothes supported on such portion, will cause arm means I'I to swing the body` squeezed toa shape corresponding to the shape of the channel.

Since the body I0 is shiftably carried. by a support, it may swing to any position necessary,l

to properly align with the pulling force on line portion I8 and thus no side thrust is placed on the clamped part of the line L. It will be appreciated that the body I acts as a lever since it is caused to pivot about the link so as to thrust the rounded head I in a direction toward engagement with the arm means. The arm means, in turn, is caused to swing about its pivot with the body and rotate in a direction toward the rounded head. Thus, the body Il and arm means are caused to swing in opposite directions and in effect, compound lever action results to rmly.

clamp the line.

To release the line, it is merely necessary to press on the tab I 4 in a direction toward the support. Such action causes the body Il) to swing about the link I2 and move the rounded head i! away from clamping engagement with the adjacent portion of the arm means I1.

In view of the foregoing, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that I have accomplished' at least the principal object of my invention, and it will also be apparent to those skilled in the art that the embodiment herein described may be variously changed and modified, without departing from the spirit of the invention, and that the invention is capable of uses and has advantages not herein specifically described; hence it will be appreciated that the herein disclosed embodiment is illustrativeonly, and that my invention is not limited thereto.

I claim:

A releasable line holding device comprising a substantially at depending plate member having means at its upper end for attaching the same to a xed support, an abutment includingan enlarged head fixedly secured to and projecting outwardly from an intermediate surface portion of said plate member adjacent one edge thereof, and a clamping arm pivotally mounted adjacent the opposite edge of said plate member above said abutment in oiset spaced relation thereto to extend said arm over said abutment, said arm being of longitudinally and transversely curved configuration to provide an arcuate groove for smoothly receiving therein a curved angular portion of the line to be held, the end of said groove adjacent said pivotal connection being engageable by gravity against the side surface o! said abutment head remote from said pivotal connection to normally dispose said clamping arm in substantial horizontal projecting relation to'said depending plate member, whereby the weight of a iiexible line insertable laterally into said arcuate groove rocks said arm downwardly relative to said plate member to firmly clamp said line between said groove end and said abut ment head surf ace.

HUDBERT R. ROGANT.

References Cited in the me of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

